City concerned about strain on Calgary's other water treatment plant

After dipping below the threshold of unsustainable water usage for one day, Calgary is back up into the red area and officials are concerned about the pressure that's putting on the city's secondary water treatment plant.

The city's potable water demand data, updated Monday morning, indicates residents and businesses used 509 million litres of water on Sunday.

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That's 15 million litres more than on Saturday, and 24 million litres above what the city would like to see.

Officials say that if water use remains above the unsustainable mark for too long, it could drain Calgary's underground reservoirs and lead to a city-wide boil water advisory.

In an update on Monday morning, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says work is now at the halfway point.

"Things are looking positive for a timely completion," she said.

On the weekend, officials said 12 of 21 pipe segments are now fixed and Gondek says Calgarians are all helping support the affected communities.

"I had the opportunity to be in Bowness last week with crews and it's clear that the Calgarians that live in Bowness are doing everything they can to look after each other."

Calgary's water use on Sunday, Sept. 8, was 509 million litres, up 15 million litres from the day before. (Supplied)

With work progressing in the residential area, the focus is now shifting to the trouble spots identified along 16 Avenue N.W.

Gondek says the city is now working with businesses to prepare them for this upcoming phase of construction.

"I know how difficult it's been for those businesses along 16 Avenue while we do this maintenance work, and your ideas for traffic flow and detours have helped us immensely."

She said all residents need to know that the businesses in Bowness and Montgomery are open and "could sure use your support."

Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong says he's been out every day, meeting with business owners and residents to help with improvements for the area.

"One of those improvements is traffic flow in and out of the area albeit we are still learning lessons there," he said.

"Another thing is to ask you to drop by and shop at some of the businesses there.

"There are businesses out there that are surviving barely. When you talk to these businesses, their attitude is if you don't shop at these areas, they'll have to incur the expenses of the staffing there or, worse yet, they'll have to let the staff go."

Calgary not hitting the target

Gondek said Calgarians and everyone else who relies on city water should be mindful of their water use more than ever now.

"Seeing numbers above 500 gives us a signal that this is not sustainable," she said. "We do need to get those numbers down and we need to do it together."

When the initial water main break occurred, she said residents had a different understanding of the problem.

"People understood in June how big of an emergency it was," she said.

"We were in a crisis situation at that time."

Gondek said it might be that some people think this is a situation that's only affecting people who live near the ongoing construction.

"We need to give you continual reminders that this impacts us all. We are not in a different situation than in June. We are needing to reduce our water usage just like we did back them."

Right now, Calgary's Glenmore water treatment plant is supplying 70 per cent of the city's treated water when it typical only handles 30 per cent.

Gondek said a bypass, facilitated by water crews last week, is able to provide an additional 30 to 35 million litres of water to the system, but the system is still in crisis.

"It's the Glenmore treatment facility that we're worried about the most right now.

"It's a matter of if something breaks at the Glenmore facility and we either have to shut down that facility or shut down a significant portion of production, we will be immediately plunged into emergency conditions.

"That's what we want to avoid."

As part of the additional water-saving measures announced last week, city arenas have switched to non-potable water for flooding ice surfaces.

Work was underway Monday evening to get the ice surface ready at a northeast arena.

The city says the practice will save 170,000 litres of treated water daily.

In addition, the ice at Murray Capot Arena will be installed using non-city water.